Finding God through the lens of an artist

Yesterday was the start of the third week of Advent. For those unfamiliar with the tradition, Advent is a season of anticipation of the coming of Jesus Christ. Just as we prepare to celebrate the Incarnation, the birth of baby Jesus, on Christmas, so we also turn our hearts, minds, and spirits towards His Second Coming. We look back in remembrance and forward in hope. Each of the four weeks leading up to Christmas carries a different theme, and today we’re going to look at the third one: Joy.

Joy is probably my favourite week of Advent. I believe Hope starts us off beautifully, with that gentle glimmer of something better that is to come. Peace is like the softly falling snow that falls in December, but I often find that week to be one where I struggle to maintain peace amidst the chaos of Christmas preparation (perhaps why it’s so important). Joy, however, is where Christmas really kicks into high gear for me.

Yesterday, my family started the Joy week with gusto. Our kids sang in the church children’s performance, which is always adorable and brings smiles to everyone I know. I had a quick rehearsal in the afternoon, where I got to see the sets for our Christmas Eve performances in all their glory. Next, my family joined about 25 other people from our community to go caroling through the neighbourhood, spreading joy to those who stopped to listen (and for those who slammed the door in the faces of children…now we know who the community Grinches are).

Finally, we wrapped the day with pizza, a cheesy kids’ Christmas movie, and camping out beneath the Christmas tree. By the end of the day, we were all filled to the brim with Joy, ready for an exciting week to come.

Your experience with the week of Joy may vary, but I’ve found that this is the week when Christmas parties are in full swing, gifts are arriving in the mail, and I end up consuming my weight in eggnog and cookies. The closer we get to “the big day,” the more we start to actually celebrate.

Because, at it’s heart, Christmas is a celebration. For those unaware, December 25th is unlikely to be the actual birthday of Jesus, but it is the day that the Church decided to celebrate His birth. The reality of His first arrival and of His future arrival do not diminish throughout the rest of the year, but it is during the Christmas season that we purposefully celebrate these events. And the best way to celebrate such a momentous occasion is with joy!

Later this week, I’m going to talk about traditions and celebrations, but for now, I’d like to hear about how you celebrate the coming of Jesus? What brings joy into your life as we count down the days until Christmas? Is it parties, food, and music? Or is it quite story-time, candles, and mistletoe?

This week, I urge you to seek these things out. If you haven’t already, make some time for joy-filled activities that remind you of how wonderful it is that Jesus came and is coming again.